Budget Committee Minutes

Meeting #:Meeting No. 1
Date:
-
Location:
Council Chamber
Members
  • Councillor Amanda Collucci, Chair
  • Councillor Andrew Keyes, Vice-Chair
  • Mayor Frank Scarpitti (ex-officio)
  • Deputy Mayor Don Hamilton
  • Regional Councillor Jack Heath
  • Councillor Keith Irish
  • Councillor Reid McAlpine
  • Councillor Karen Rea
Regrets
  • Councillor Khalid Usman
Roll Call
  • Regional Councillor Jim Jones
  • Councillor Isa Lee
  • Andy Taylor, Chief Administrative Officer
  • Trinela Cane, Commissioner, Corporate Services
  • Arvin Prasad, Commissioner Development Services
  • Claudia Storto, City Solicitor and Director of Human Resources
  • Joel Lustig, Treasurer
  • Bryan Frois, Chief of Staff
  • Matthew Vetere, Manager, Budgeting
  • Stephen Chait, Director of Economic Growth, Culture & Entrepreneurship
  • Biju Karumanchery, Director of Planning and Urban Design
  • Morgan Jones, Director, Operations
  • Laura Gold, Council and Committee Coordinator
  • Chris Bird, Director of Building Standards
  • Shane Manson, Senior Manager of Revenue & Property Taxation

1.
CALL TO ORDER
 

The Budget Committee convened at 9:04 AM with Councillor Amanda Collucci in the Chair.

Councillor Amanda Collucci, Budget Chief welcomed the Committee to the first meeting of the Budget Committee and provided opening remarks.

2.
DISCLOSURE OF PECUNIARY INTEREST
 

None.

3.
BUDGET PRESENTATION
This item has attachments. 

1.Budget Committee Presentation - Meeting No. 1.pdf

3.1
2020 Budget Process and Communication Plan
 

Matthew Vetere, Manager of Budgeting presented the 2020 Budget Process and Communication Plan.

Discussion

It was suggested that the Budget should be brought forward to General Committee for approval prior to going to Council for endorsement.

3.2
Economic Scan
 

Matthew Vetere presented the City's Economic Scan for 2020.

Discussion

In response to a Committee inquiry regarding wage settlement, staff advised that the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) contract ends March 31, 2019, and the Markham Professional Fire Fighters (MPFFA) collective agreement ends December 31, 2019.

3.3
Development Trends and Outlook in Markham
This item has attachments. 

1.Altus Group Markham Council Presentation (Sept 24).pdf

Arvin Prasad, Commissioner of Development Services spoke briefly about development trends in Markham, and introduced Patricia Arsenault from the Atlus Group.                

Patricia Arsenault, Altus Group provided a presentation entitled “Markham: Recent Development Trends and Short-Term Outlook”.

Discussion.

Committee discussed the following:

  • The demand and supply of office space in Markham, and the need for new office space in Markham;
  • The trend of corporate headquarter or offices moving from the greater GTA area to downtown Toronto;
  • Markham's immigration and foreign investment trends;
  • The development trends in Markham and how housing prices impact home sales;
  • Demographic trends with respect to housing;
  • Construction trends (the increase in the cost of concrete, and labour shortages) and the impact they have on development in Markham;
  • Legislative changes impacting development in Markham( Bill 108, More Homes, More Choice, 2019);
  • The impact the City’s Building, Engineering, and Planning Fees have on development;
  • The 2020 outlook for development applications in Markham.

The Committee suggested that the City needs to better understand why serviceable land in Markham is not being developed. In order to understand this, it was recommended that staff find out where the serviceable land is, and why the landowners are not developing the land. It was also recommended that York Region’s data on land supply be reconciled to the City of Markham’s data.

Commissioner Prasad committed to bringing forward a report to the Development Services Committee on this matter.

In response to Committee inquires, staff advised that a more analytical approach is being used to forecast the number of development applications submitted to the City in 2020. It was anticipated that there will be an increase in the development applications submitted to the City in 2020, but that less applications will be submitted than in 2018. Staff will continue to monitor how Bill 108, More Homes, More Choice, 2019 will impact the forecast. Staff do not think that increasing the City’s Building, Planning, and Engineering Fees will have a significant impact the number of development applications submitted.

  • Moved byMayor Frank Scarpitti
    Seconded byCouncillor Andrew Keyes

    That the Altus Group presentation entitled “Markham: Recent Development Trends and Short-Term Outlook” be received.

    Carried

3.4
2020 Proposed Capital Budget
 

Matthew Vetere presented the proposed 2020 Capital Budget.

Discussion

In response to Committee inquiries, staff advised that a report on the additional one-time gas tax revenue received in 2019 will be brought forward to the General Committee when more information is available. Staff also advised that the total cost of the City’s flood program was reduced based on the federal grant that was received. This was calculated into the total cost of the program, which was presented to Council in the spring. 

Committee briefly discussed the need to have a standardized approach for determining the type of amenities that should be put in different types of City Parks. It also suggested that the community should be included in the planning of parks earlier on in the process, and that parks should be designed to encourage outdoor play and leisure. Staff advised that the new Manager of Parks has been tasked with developing a strategy in this regard and that a report on the matter will be prepared and brought forward to the Development Services Committee.

3.5
2020 Proposed Operating Budget
 

Matthew Vetere presented the 2020 Operating Budget.

Discussion

In response to a Committee inquiry, staff advised that the City continues to ramp-up for fire stations required in Markham. The report on the potential second crew at the Cornell Fire Station was deferred by the General Committee until after the Province completes its Regional Governance Review.

A Committee Member requested that staff also show the percentage when showing incremental increases in future budget presentations.

  • Moved byMayor Frank Scarpitti
    Seconded byCouncillor Andrew Keyes

    That the “2020 Budget Presentation" be received.

    Carried

4.
NEW BUSINESS
 

There was no new business.

5.
NEXT MEETING DATE
 

The next meeting of the Budget Committee will be held on September 27, 2019 at 9:00 AM in the Council Chamber. The Directors will start presenting their Budget Presentations at this meeting. Members of the Committee were encouraged to ask the Directors questions regarding their presentation prior to the meeting.

6.
ADJOURNMENT
 

  • Moved byCouncillor Keith Irish
    Seconded byCouncillor Reid McAlpine

    That the Budget Committee adjourn at 12:02 PM.

    Carried
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